Apparatus for casting leg stumps



Jan. 19, 1965 H. F. GARDNER APPARATUS FOR CASTING LEG STUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1963 IN VENTOR. HENQ F 6AEDNEZ A-r-rozeA/Ey Jan. 19, 1965 H. F. GARDNER APPARATUS FOR CASTING LEG STUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1963 INVENTOR. HEN/2y F AzoA/aq BY A WQi/AK ATTOQA/EY United States Patent APPARATUS FOR CASTING LEG STUMPS Henry F. Gardner, New York, N.Y., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Apr. 26, 1963, Ser; No. 276,111

3 Claims. (Cl. 185.1) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 2 66) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates generally to improvements in prosthetic stump casting and socket construction.

The invention relates more specifically to improvements in the form of an apparatus for casting leg stumps.

The former method of forming a casting structure for a stump fashioned from wood and the like was at least an exacting task, the success of which depended in large measure upon the combined manual and technical abilities of the prosthetist involved. This type of casting fixture did not take into consideration body weight distribution on a limb stump which could be tolerated by the bone structure of the ischium and surrounding tissues.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a casting fixture which by prosthetic information is able to accurately duplicate the general contours, size and structure of the patients limb stump and stub socket insuring proper control of weight distribution acting on the superficial stump tissues.

Another object of the invention is to produce an accurate facsimile of the stump of the amputated limb of a patient for a prosthetic device.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in particularity in the course of the following description in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view disclosing the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 discloses a partial view of FIG. 1 showing a back view of the socket in perspective;

FIG. 3 discloses the lateral socket form of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 discloses the cross member assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates the application of the apparatus to the elastic plaster of Paris wrapping of an above-knee stump; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the manner of applying forming plates for below the knee wrapping and cast formation of a mold by aid of the casting stand of FIG. 1.

In the drawings like reference numerals represent like parts. 7

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose the casting fixture assembly comprising, a stand assembly which includes a base plate 14, a vertical upright support means 6 having attached thereto an adjustable rack means 12a; a cross member assembly as shown in FIG. 4 and a lateral socket form as shown by FIG. 3.

The cross member assembly as shown in FIG. 4 comprises a vertical traversing head 78 including slot means 87, adjustable screw means 83, cross member 18, chain and pin adjustment means 83a of screw means 83, height adjusting means including pinion means 12b on shaft means 79 carrying crank means 79a, and bracket means 97 including adjustable screw means 98, thread means 99 cooperatively connecting by flat portion 72 of bracket means 69 to cross head means 78 by bolt means 100. Cross member 13 provides support and adjustment for extending bracket means 20 carrying anterior socket casting form 11 and bracket means 23 carrying posterior socket casting form 9.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the cross member assembly provides adjustable attachments for the anterior and posterior cast- Patented Jan'..19, 1965 V ing socket'forms and for positioning the lateral casting as a casting unit. 7

In FIG 2,the posterior casting socket form 9 is adjustably secured by slot means 62 and screw means 64 to extending bracket 23 which is adjustably secured to cross member 18 by screw mean 'si. Similarly, anterior casting form 11 is adjustably connected by crank means 52, slot means 54 and screw means 56 to extending bracket means 20, which is adjustably secured by screw means 68 Y to cross member 18. I

The posterior socket form 9 of the casting fixture has a weight support surface and a vertical posterior wall with a section representing part of the medial wall. The contour of the posterior wall is based upon necessary concepts of socket shape developed from successful quadrilateral fittings and anthropometric measurements.

In FIG. 5, the casting fixture is applied to a patient as a support for an above the knee stump. Theischial support area for the mold is cushioned to permit the free.

formation of detailed contours of the stump limb in and around the area of the ischial tuberosity.

In FIGS. 1 and 5, the medial section of the posterior socket 9 assists to establish the medial to lateral width of the socket and the proper position (medial-lateral) of the ischium upon the posterior socket support. The posterior socket 9 is adjustable with respect to the stump in a medial-lateral plane. This medial-lateral adjustment is used to orient the adductor longus tendon of the stump in its proper position relative to the anterior socket form 11 of the mold. The smaller the proximal stump girth, the more medially the posterior socket form 9 is placed so that the anterior socket form can clear the medial wall of the posterior socket form 9. Posterior socket casting form 9, in use, has the weight support surface and part of the vertical posterior wall with a section representing part of the medial wall of the mold. The contour of the posterior form is based upon concepts of socket shape developed from successful quadrilateral fittings and anthropometric measurements. The medial section of posterior socket 9 helps to establish the medial-to-lateral width of the socket and the proper position (medial-lateral) of the ischium upon posterior socket support 9. Bracket means 69 is secured by screw means and member 72 to bracket member 78 of FIG. 4. One of the novel features of the lateral casting socket form resides in the surface 32 which is adjustable for varying degrees of shape of the limb stub known as adduction or abduction. Adjustments of FIG. 3 are also provided for medial or lateral positioning of this form, as well as, for a limited range of flexion-extension. Surface member 32, normally flat can also be readily given rather sharp curves byscrew members 36 to provide the contouring necessary for the best lateral support.

For below the knee casting, as shown in FIG. 6, posterior casting socket form 107 is adjustably connected by screw means and slot means 116 to plate means 105. Plate means 1G5 is adjustably connected by slot means 62 and screw means 64 to bracket means 23. Likewise, anterior casting socket form 120 is connected by desired screw, slot and plate means by screw means 52 to support bracket means 20.

I claim:

I 1.. An apparatus for casting limb stumps comprising a stand assembly, a cross member assembly adjustably mounted on said stand assembly, an adjustable posterior socket form adjustably mounted on said cross member assembly, an anterior socket form adjustably supported by said cross member assembly in opposing relation to said posterior socket form and a lateral socket form ineluding an adjustable surface adjustably mounted on 'said cross member assembly and cooperating with said anterior and posterior socket forms. 7

2. An apparatus for casting prosthesis comprising a base having a vertical support member thereon, horizontally positioned support means adjustably carried by said vertical support member, support arms adjustably carried by said horizontally positioned support means, a posterior socket form adjustably carried by a first one of said support arms, an anterior socket form adjustably carried by socket forms cooperating through their respective adjustment means to form a cast of a prosthesis for a limb stump.

.10 a second one of said support arms in opposing relation 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lateral socket form comprises an elongated base member, a plurality of adjustment screw members projecting through said elongated base member, a flexible member carried by said plurality of adjustment screw members in juxtaposition with said elongated base member, said flexi'ole member facing in the direction toward said anterior and posterior socket forms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,679,748 8/28 Stratton 18-5.1 1,898,235 2/33 Binay 18-18 2,794,25 3 6/57 Fitzsimmons. 2,891,285 6/59 Kaplan,

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CASTING LIM STUMPS COMPRISING A STAND ASSEMBLY, A CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID STAND ASSEMBLY, AN ADJUSTABLE POSTERIOR SOCKET FORM ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY, AN ANTERIOR SOCKET FORM ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY IN OPPOSING RELATION TO SAID POSTERIOR SOCKET FORM AND A LATERAL SOCKET FROM INCLUDING AN ADJUSTABLE SURFACE ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY AND COOPERATING WITH SAID ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR SOCKET FORMS. 